Cloth inspecting machine



Oct. 29, 1940. F. REMINGTON CLOTH INSPECTING MACHINE Filed Aug 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 moxwkmp 02 152-??? a w HM. QN: MN. Mm mm m. Q l mm KW: d\ wm 3 9, w

NW m mm Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOTH INSPEC'I'IN G amine-lam August 10, ms, Serial No. 290,516

'1 Claims. (in. zs-m This invention relates to machines for handling cloth during inspection for weaving defects. In such machines, it is customaryto pass the cloth over an inclined table for convenient inspection,

3 with provision for moving the cloth by power in either a forward or a rearward direction and for stopping the cloth whenever defects are found. Such machines are commonly controlled by pedals or by other mechanical devices actuated by the operator.

It is the general object of my invention to provide improved electrical control means for this type of inspecting machine, which will require no perceptible effort on the part of the operator and which will leave the operator's hands free for other necessary duties.

In the preferred form, my improved control means includes a photo-electric device which controls forward cloth feed only and which ca uses the cloth to be fed forward only when a light beam is interrupted.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 7

A preferred form of my invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cloth inspecting machine embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, broken away to reduce the width;

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of certain parts, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view of a manual control device;

Figs. 5 5 and 5 are diagrammatic views showing difierent positions of a manually controlled switch; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the photoelectric control apparatus and mechanism controlled thereby.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, my improved inspecting machine comprises-a frame l3 supporting an inclined inspecting table II over which 5 the cloth C is drawn forward and downward for inspection purposes, being unwound from a supply roll R. andbeing rewound on a second roll R.

The rolls R and R. are provided with journals |2 rotatable in boxes H which are freely slidable 50 vertically along inclined guide-bars ii. The roll R rests on a drum 23 and the roll R rests on a drum 2|. The drums 23 and 2| are provided with pulleys or sprockets connectsd by a belt or chain 22, and the roll 2| is connected by a belt or 55 chain 23 to a reversible driving motor M. Preferably, the peripheral speedjofthe drum II is slightly greater than the peripheral speed of the drum 23, so that the cloth when running in the forward direction as indicated by the arrows a will be under slight tension. 6 The cloth passes upward from the roll R to a guide-roll 35, thence downward over the table II to the roll B. When the motor M is reversed, the path of travel of the cloth is the same but in the opposite direction. 10 An electric light 32 (Fig. 2) provides a light beam B directed toward a photo-electric relay E by which the operation of the motor M is in part controlled. Said motor M is also in part under the direct control of a reversing switch S, 13 mounted for selective manual operation by a control rod 33.

The rod 33 is slidable in fixed bearings 34 and 35 on the front of the machine and is yieldingly pushed. to the right in Fig. 4 by a spring 36. 20 Such movement to the right is limited by a stud 31 mounted in a collar 38 adjustably secured to the rod 33 and engaging an inclined surface 40 at the left end of the hub 35.

The surface 43 is preferably provided with shal- 25 low recesses- 4|, 42 and 43, concentrically disposed with respect to the rod 33 and each adapted to receive the beveled or rounded end of the stud 31. A handle 45 is secured in the collar 38, and a second handle 46 is secured in a collar 4! which 30 receives the thrust of the spring 36.

If one of the handles 45 or 46 is swung forward and upward, as viewed in Fig. 4, the stud 31 will be moved successively from the recess 4| to the recess 42 and thereafter to the recess 43, thus 35 permitting the right-hand end of the rod 33 to move progressively to the right in Fig. 4 to shift the switch S from forward to neutral or reverse position, indicated in Figs. 5 and 5 respectively.

The rod 33 and associated parts thus constitute 40 means for manually and selectively operating the machine in forward or reverse direction and for interrupting the operation of the machine by placing the switch S in neutral.

The coaction of the photo-electric relay with 45 the switch S and with the manual control devices shown in Fig. 4 is best understood by reference to the diagram in Fig. 6.

In said diagram, I have shown the light source 33, the photo-electric relay E, the manually con- 50 trolled switch S, the motor M, line wires L and L', and a main reversing switch S for said motor M, controlled by electro-magnets or solenoids 50 and 5|.

The photo-electric relay E is of a usual commercial type and need not be described in detail except to state that the relay controls a switch 52 in such manner that the switch is open when the beam B energizes the relay, and is closed when the beam B is interrupted, as when some element, such as the operator's knee, is interposed in the path of the light beam.

The switch S has upper and lower contacts 55 and 55, both connected by a wire 51 to the line L, and the switch S also has an upper contact 60 connected by a wire 8| to one pole of the switch 52. The other pole of the switch 52 is connected by a wire 62 to the solenoid 50 and thence through a wire 63 to a line wire L.

Consequently, if the switch S is in the position shown in Fig. 5 or Fig. 6, and the light beam B is interrupted, a circuit will be closed from the line L through the switches S and 52 and the solenoid 50 to the line wire L, thus energizing the device 50 and throwing the reversing switch 8 to forward position. If the interposed element is removed and the light beam B strikes the relay E, the relay opens the switch 52, breaking the motor control circuit and allowing the reversing switch S to return to neutral, thus stopping the motor M and the forward and downward travel of the cloth 0.

A fourth contact III in the switch S is connected by a wire H to the reverse solenoid 5| and thence through a wire 12 to the return wire 63 and line wire L as previously described.

If the manual control rod 33 is turned so that the stud 31 enters the recess 42, the switch S will assume the position shown in Fig. 5 with the circuits through both solenoids 50 and 5| broken and the entire machine at rest. If the rod 33 is given a further movement to position the stud 31 in the recess 43, the switch S will assume the position indicated in Fig. 5, closing the circuit between the contacts 56 and I and causing the motor M to operate in reverse direction, thus rewinding the cloth on the supply roll R.

I have thus provided very convenient and effective means for controlling the operation of my improved machine, both manually and photoelectrically. It should be particularly noted that the switch 52 is in series with the switch S only when said switch is in the forward position indicated in Fig. so that the light beam and photoelectric relay E controls the starting and stopping of the machine only when the machine is set to operate in a forward direction.

When the machine is in neutral or is set for reverse operation, the circuit between the contacts 55 and 60 is broken in the switch S, so that opening or closing of the switch 52 has no effect whatever on the operation of the machine.

Consequently, the'operator can stop the machine manually or operate the machine in reverse at any time by merely turning the rod 33, but for forward movement, h must not only turn the rod 33 to place the switch S in the position shown in Fig. 5, but he must also interrupt the light beam 13. During normal operation of the machine, the cloth will therefore remain at rest except when the operator interrupts the light beam B by inserting his knee or some other part of his anatomy or clothing in the path of the beam.

While I have shown the beam conveniently located for interruption by the knee, this location isnot critical and the light beam may be otherwise positioned. No movable part is engaged by the operator, so that fatigue is reduced to a minimum.

Although I have'described my invention as applied to a cloth inspecting machine, it may also be used to advantage in any machine in which cloth or any similar material is drawn forward and rearward through the machine under the control of the operator and the machine is frequently started, stopped, orreversed.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A cloth inspecting machine comprising an inspection table, feeding means to draw a piece of cloth over said table in selected forward and rearward directions, manual means to selectively control said forward and rearward movement of said cloth, and photo-electric means operable in series with said manual means during forward cloth movement only.

'2. A cloth inspecting machine comprising an inspection table, feeding means to draw a piece of cloth over said table in selected forward and rearward directions, manual means to change the direction of cloth movement and to disable the feeding mechanism, and photo-electric means including a light beam which is effective to control the forward movement only of said feeding mechanism and cloth.

3. A cloth inspecting machine comprising an inspection table, feeding means to draw a piece of cloth over said table in selected forward and rearward directions, a manually operated control device for said feeding means having forward, rearward and neutral positions, and a photo-electric control device for said feeding means including a light beam and operative only .when said feeding means is connected for forward operation of said machine.

4. A cloth inspecting machine comprising an inspection table, feeding means to draw a piece of cloth over said table in selected forward and rearward directions, a. manually operated control device for said feeding means having forward, rearward and neutral positions, and a photo-electric control device for said feeding means including a light beam and operative only when said feeding means is connected for forward operation of said machine, said device rendering said feeding means operative when the light beam is interrupted, and said light beam being effective to break the operative feeding circuit when said light beam is not interrupted.

5. Cloth feeding and control apparatus comprising feeding means to draw a piece of cloth through said apparatus in selected forward and rearward directions, a manually operated control device for said feeding means having forward, rearward and neutral posit ons, and a photo-electric control device for said feeding means including a light beam and operative only when said feeding means is connected for forward operation of said apparatus, said device rendering said feeding means operative when the light beam is interrupted, and said light beam being effective to break the operative feeding circuit when said light beam is not interrupted.

6. A cloth inspecting machine comprising an inspection table, feeding means effective to draw a piece of cloth over said table in selected forward and rearward directions, manual means to selectively determine the direction of movement and to exclusively control said feeding means during rearward movement of said cloth, and means tostop and start the cloth under photoelectric control when said machine is set for forward cloth movement only, said photo-electric control being simultaneously rendered inoperative when the feeding means is rendered operative to move the cloth in a rearward direction.

7. A cloth inspecting machine comprising an inspection table, feeding means to draw a piece of cloth over said table in selected forward and rearward directions, photo-electric means which in part controls said forward movement of the cloth, and manual means effective to selectively determine thedirection of movement of the cloth and coacting with said photo-electric means in causing the cloth to be moved forward, said manual means being also operable to prevent cloth movement in either direction.

LELAND F. REMINGTON. 

